Inside the EDHEC Global MBA Programme's Finance Track

The EDHEC GMBA Finance Specialisation

The Finance track of the EDHEC Global MBA programme is more than a deep dive into corporate finance, markets, private equity or climate finance—it's a strategic launchpad for professionals who want to connect financial performance with positive societal and environmental impact. Now under the academic direction of Dr. Ghassan Paul Yacoub, the track is evolving to meet today’s complex global business challenges head-on.

An accomplished academic and former investment banker, Dr. Yacoub brings a powerful blend of theoretical insight and industry experience to EDHEC. His background spans M&A roles at J.P. Morgan and boutique firms, as well as research into strategy, innovation, AI, and sustainability.

“I think EDHEC is uniquely positioned to bridge the world of finance with the world of sustainability,” says Dr. Yacoub. “We’ve become really actually one of the pioneers globally and in Europe in the field of climate finance and sustainable finance.”

“If you want to join the Finance track, be prepared to work hardd... But at the same time, you will actually become a real change-maker with a very critical mindset and a change mind. So, be ready, have fun, and work hard.”

-EDHEC Associate Professor Ghassan Paul Yacoub

Finance with Purpose: Bridging Profit and Planet with People

Dr. Yacoub explains that many students are drawn to EDHEC because of the programme’s ability to connect financial learning with environmental, sociological, and economic realities. “Many students choose us because they want to really understand the complexities of the world we’re facing today and how you bridge actually the environmental, sociological and economic challenges with finance.”

This mindset is not an optional layer but central to the way finance is taught and practiced in the programme.

“There is kind of the ecological and environmental pressure where they have to reconcile what we call the profit logic with the planet logic,” he explains. “Having these two actually kind of logics merged together with what we're offering in the MBA and in the track... would offer the student the unique skills they need in order to really succeed in this complex and... volatile and uncertain environment.”

The track encourages students to see finance not only as a tool for growth, but as a system that can be reshaped for better outcomes. Sustainable finance, according to Dr. Yacoub, is a “very important actually... emerging area.”

Immersive Learning, Real-World Exposure

Students begin the MBA with a shared set of core courses before entering their track specialisations. For Finance track participants, the learning journey goes further, diving into both traditional and evolving aspects of the financial world.

“We start with a strong foundational knowledge in different subsegments of finance,” Dr. Yacoub notes. “And then we actually go in a really case-based study [approach]... and a lot of different really applied use cases in finance and different disciplines, different sectors.”

One of the track’s most distinctive components is the learning expedition. “There’s a learning expedition in the Finance track where we actually go and we meet companies, and we learn actually about the best practices, what works, what also doesn’t work,” he explains.

“We try to kind of understand the overall perspective but also the micro perspective of [the] firm, so zooming out and zooming in again.”

Developing Future-Ready Leaders

While financial expertise is essential, the track is also focused on developing soft skills and leadership capacity. “We really try to have well-balanced managers that have... the hard skills but on the other hand combine that with interpersonal [skills], with leadership, with a well-rounded leader that knows how to actually manage [and] lead teams, even though they work in a financial industry or financial service,” says Dr. Yacoub.

Students are also guided through a career-building process that matches their goals with opportunities.

“When they come and they arrive in the track, we really [offer] more immersion into the finance world and... various and different topics,” he adds. “And then we can help them with the help of the professor and the whole pedagogical team to really kind of choose their career strategy for after the MBA.”

Who Is This Track For?

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. The Finance track is designed for people pursuing diverse career paths: moving up in seniority, pivoting to a different financial subfield, transitioning into finance from another discipline, or simply wanting to learn more about the world of finance.

Dr. Yacoub makes it clear that students don’t need to come from a financial or technical background to succeed. “To be successful in the Finance track, you don’t need to have a technical background or financial background. You already have core courses that you'll be taught before.”

What really matters, he says, is a mindset: “What I would... stress is to have the intellectual curiosity, the ability to reflect, and the passion and the interest in the field.”

The track sets a high bar, but it also provides high returns. “If you want to join the Finance track, be prepared to work hard,” Dr. Yacoub advises. “But at the same time, you will actually become a real change-maker with a very critical mindset and a change mind. So, be ready, have fun, and work hard.”